Bayonet connector for distributor terminal



Feb. 28, 1956 M. a. BALES BAYONET CONNECTOR FOR DISTRIBUTOR TERMINAL INV EN TOR. MAX 0. 54L E5 Filed June 30, 1952 Hi5 AZTOENEYS United StatesPatent BAYONET CONNECTOR FOR DISTRIBUTOR TERMINAL Max G. Bales,Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1952, Serial No. 296,377

4 Claims. (Cl. 339--94) This invention relates to sealed electricalconnectors such as may be used with the ignition distributors for aninternal combustion engine.

Metallic connectors have been used for high tension electrical systemsfor internal combustion engines to prevent the emanation of radiofrequency current which would otherwise interfere with the reception ofsignals in a vehicle equipped with radio. A type of electrical cableemployed in these installations comprises an insulated conductorenclosed in an impervious flexible sheath of rubber-like material whichis enclosed in a covering of woven or braided metallic fabric or armorwhich protects the sheath against mechanical damage. Waterproofing theconnection between cable conductor and a post is likewise desirable soas to protect the connection from deterioration or corrosion due tomoisture and gases. Heretofore it has been the practice to attach thearmor of a cable to a threaded nut which is connected with a threadedsleeve permanently attached to a cup-shaped metallic shell. When athreaded nut is used to complete the connection a conventional tool mustbe used such as a wrench, to bring the nut into position so as toprovide the seal about the electrical connection, it sometimes happenswhen too much pressure is applied to the nut or the other sleeve isbroken or fractured, due to the fact the nut and sleeve are very thinand light in weight. Consequently the nut assembly or the sleeveassembly has to be scrapped. Thus the use of threaded member is costlyand unhandy and therefore objectionable.

An object of the present invention is to facilitate the assembly anddisassembly of an armored cable with a distributor wherein a fluid-proofelectrical connection is to be formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for producing awater proof electrical connection for an electrical device which can bequickly assembled and disassembled without the use of a conventionalmachine tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shielding and a fluidtight connector for an electrical device which may readily be assembledand disassembled without the use of a conventional machine tool.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a top plan view of a portion of a metalliccover for an ignition apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the connector embodying thepresent invention but showing the bayonet nut out of clamping relationwith a sleeve. v r

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in clamping relation.

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Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clamping nut and the sleeve.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grounding washer used in thisimproved connector.

Referring to the drawings 20 is a cup-shaped housing having its bottomwall 21 provided with a series of openings, each opening is adapted toreceive a socket sleeve 22. The sleeve is formed with an outwardlyextending flange or collar 23 which engages the outer face of the wall21. The lower end of each sleeve extends through a respective openingand is riveted over against the inner face of the wall 21 as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. A fluidtight seal is established between the sleeve 22and the wall 21 by any suitable means, such as sealing brazed or solder.The lower end of each sleeve is tapered to receive a socket 24 of bodysuch as a distributor cap 25 which is attached to the bottom wall 21 asdisclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 179,970, filed August 17,1950, now Patent No. 2,662,105 dated December 8, 1953. The distributorcap 25 is made of molded plastic and supports a plurality of posts 26arranged in a circular row which cooperates with a distributor segment27 attached to a'rotor. The segment receives sparking impulses whichjump the gap between the segment 27 at post 26 at the proper time infiring sequence. In Figs. 2 and 3, each post as shown receives a spring28 hearing against a resistor 29 upon which rests a needle conductor orspreader pin 30 having a collar 31. The collar 31 of the needle is pressfitted in a recess provided in the bottom of the socket 24 to hold'theparts 28 and 29 in assembled relation in the bottom of socket 24.

The upper end of the socket 24 has a plane surface upon which ispositioned a gasket 35 of proper shape preferably composed of syntheticrubber, such, for example, as neoprene. The cross dimension of thesealing member is substantially the same as the inner cross dimension ofthe sleeve above the socket 24. A metal or fibre washer 36 and acompression spring 37 is placed over the sealing member 35 as indicated.

A cup-shaped cap or nut 40 here shown is adapted to fit slidably overthe sleeve 22 comprising a cylindrical wall 41 and an inwardlyprojecting flange 42 provided with a central opening 43. This openingreceives a sleeve or ferrule 44 having a collar or flange 45 which abutsthe inner face of the flange 42. The ferrule is attached to the cap bysolder. The ferrule is counterbored to provide a shoulder 46 for anarmored cable 48 consisting of a plurality of Wire strands covered by'asheath 52 of rubber-like material, such as neoprene. The outside of thesheath is covered with any suitable armor 48 for example which iscomposed of metallic braided strands. The armor is cut off at 50 somedistance back of the end of the cable and is placed in the counterboredportion of the ferrule until the end of the armor engages the shoulder46 then the armor is secured to the ferrule in any'desired manner, forexample, by solder, so that the armor and cable cannot be pulled free ofthe ferrule.

The cap 40 and sleeve 22 are constructed to make bayonet connection witheach other and to that end the cap is here shown as provided with a pairof spiral bayonet slots 60 in the cylindrical wall 41 each slot beingformed to provide a seat 61. The sleeve 22 is provided with a pair ofdiametrically opposite pins 62 adapted to pass through the spiral slotsand to become seated in the seats 61.

It is to be understood that other locking means may be used between thesleeve 22 and the cap 40 which will require suflicient axial movement toeffect the locking action so as to predeterminately load the spring 37to cause the gasket 35 to be compressed and seal against 3 the cable 52and the sleeve 22 and end of the'socket 24. For example, the cap couldbe provided with spring urged members that would register with detentsor an annular groove formed in sleeve 22.

V In order to get a good ground connection between the ferrule 40 andthe sleeve 22 a metal washer 65 is mounted on the sleeve 22. This washer65 includes a hub 66 which is integral with resilient fingers 67 whichare out of the plane of the hub as shown in Fig. 5. The ends of thefingers have sharp edges which bite into upper surface of the sleeve 22when the connector parts are assembled in the position in Fig. 3. v

The connector is assembled and operates as follows:

Assuming that the cap with its attached armored cable" and the washer65, spring 37. washer 36 and sealing member are assembled on the sheathand then the cable 51. is inserted the sleeve 22 as shown in Fig. 2 aridcap 40 is placed over the sleeve 22 with the pins 62 in registry withthe open end of the spiral slots 60 in the cap. The opening of thegasket 35 has an internal diameter to receive the sheath of the cable sothat the sheath of the cable will slip easily through the opening andyet fit fairly snugly thereon. By manually forcing the cap 40 downwardlythe strands 51 are spread apart by the pin 3! When the cap is connectedwith the sleeve 22 the spring 37 is compressed and the sealing member 35is placed under compression and thereby expanded in sealing engagernentwith the sleeve 22, the socket 24 and sheath 52, when the cap is in theposition shown in Fig. 3.

in order to hold the cap 40 in position on sleeve 22 the pins have toengage the full length of the slots and rest in the seats. This createsa locking means. The bias of spring 37 normally holds the cap inposition. With the cap 4-0 in the position shown in Fig. 3, the sealingmember 35 forms fluid-tight seals with the sheath and the innercylindrical surface of the sleeve 22 to prevent gases, moisture or otherforeign matter from reaching the electrical connection between thespreader pin 31 and the strand wire of the cable.

When the parts of the connector are in the position shown in Fig. 3 andit is desired to remove the cap from the sleeve, the cap must be turnedmanually against the bias of the spring 37 until the pin enters theslots. For convenience the cap is provided with ribs or a knurledsurface for gripping the cap for manual manipulation.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electrical connector for use in combination with a terminal socketand an insulated conductor for forming a waterproof electricalconnection therebet ween, comprising in combination a cap member and acooperating terminal socket member for receiving said cap; a bayonetconnection between said members for releasably holding the members inassembled relation; a flanged metallic sleeve passing through anaperture in the upper end of said cap member and adapted to sealinglyembrace an insulated conductor which is adapted to pass therethrough soas to be connectible to a portion of said socket member; a resilientgasket adapted to surround the conductor adjacent the lower end of saidsocket member and engage portions of the socket, and spring meansadapted to surround said conductor and to bear against said gasket andthe flange portion of said sleeve whereby, when said cap and socketmembers are assembled, said spring is under suflicient compression loadto cause said gasket to seal against the conductor and the sleeve toseal against the cap member.

2. In combination with an armored covered flexible conductor and asocket type terminal to which said conductor is to be electricallysealingly connected, of a connector comprising acap portion associatedwith said conductor and a telescopically engageable socket portionassociated with said terminal, a flanged sleeve passing through anaperture in one end of said cap and sealingly surrounding saidconductor, said sleeve being held against removal from said cap by itsflange, and electrically connected with the armor of said conductor aresilient gasket surrounding the conductor and in spaced relation tosaid sleeve and being a snug fit within said terminal socket and adaptedto be compressed against socket portions of the terminal, spring meansconcentrically disposed about the conductor and interposed between theflange on said sleeve and said gasket, and cooperating bayonet lockingmeans carried by the cap and the socket for drawing the flange axiallytoward said gasket for compressing said spring and thereby providing asealing pressure on said gasket.

3. An electrical connector for use in combination with a distributor orthe like wherein a socket in a fluid-tight seal is formed between anelectrical conductor and the distributor socket, comprising, a capmember and a cooperating socket member disposed about said distributorfor receiving said cap; a bayonet connection between said members fordetachably holding the members in assembled relation; a flanged sleeveassociated with the cap and adapted to receive a cable of the typehaving a flexible sheath and a flexible armor outside the sheath, aportion of the flexible sheath extending beyond the armor of the cableto expose the end, said armor being attached to the sleeve'and saidsheath passing through the sleeve so as to make an electrical connectionwith a part exposed in the distributor socket member; a compressiblepacking member surrounding the sheath adjacent the lower end of thesocket member and adapted to engage a portion of the distributor socketand a compressed spring concentrically surrounding the sheath andengaging the packing and the sleeve whereby when the cap and socketmembers are assembled, said spring applies pressure to the packing meansand thereby provide fluid-tight seals between the packing means, thesocket, and the exposed portion of the sheath while electricalconnections are formed between the armor of the cable and thecooperating socket member of said distributor socket.

4. A device for connecting a cable and terminal socket each having innerand outer concentric means separated by an intermediate concentricmember of insulating material and for forming a waterproof electricalconnection therebetween, comprising in combination; a cap adapted toembrace the outer conducting means of said terminal socket, cooperatingbayonet means on said cap and the outer conducting means of said socketfor releasably holding said cap in electrically connected assembledrelation with said socket, a sleeve having a flange disposed within saidcap and having a portion extending through an aperture therein andelectrically connected with the outer conducting member of said cableand embracing the intermediate member of said cable which extends beyondsaid cap so as to be received in said socket when the cap is assembledtherewith, a resilient gasket surrounding the extending portion of saidcable, and adapted to be received within the outer conducting means andseat on a rim of the intermediate insulating member of said socket whensaid socket and cap are assembled, and a spring means disposed betweensaid cap and gasket and surrounding at least a portion of the extendingportion of the intermediate member of said cable, said spring meansbeing adapted to be compressed when the bayonet connection between thecap and socket is accomplished tor compressing said gasket against theintermediate member of said socket and for simultaneously sealing theextend ing portion of said cable and the intermediate member and theouter member of said socket to each other while an electrical connectionis formed between the inner members of said cable and socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6Abbott Oct. 24, 1939 Violet Nov. 17, 1942 Paquette June 8, 1943 NimsJune 8, 1948 Frei Nov. 2, 1948 Morris Oct. 3, 1950 Bychinsky Aug. 12,1952

